Impatient or Inspired?

After a nice, relaxing weekend, I'm ready to get back to my workouts. But since I'm a little bored with the Turbulence Training intermediate workouts, I'm going to move on to the advanced routine...which is actually the original Turbulence Training program. I will do my first workout today.

So, am I just impatient with the program, or inspired and can't wait to move to the next level? I guess a little of both. The problem for me is that I need a lot of variety in my fitness programs. When I create my own routines, each workout is different. For those of you in my boot camps, you know that no two sessions are exactly alike. Incorporating variety into a program keeps you motivated and provides constant incentive to keep your body changing. Doing only 2 workouts for 4 weeks just doesn't work for me. Especially since I was already changing aspects of the intermediate routine. So, starting today, I'll give the advanced routine a try and let you know how it goes.

A friend of mine has decided to start a new program called Fat Burning Furnace. If you are interested in following her progress, check out her blog.

Carpe Diem y'all!

Same 'ole, Same 'ole

I just completed my Turbulence Training strength workout for the day. Overall, it was a good workout. Took me about 24 minutes to go through and I pretty much followed the overall layout exactly.

I did substitute a couple of exercises. The workout consisted of squats, rows, lunges, a couple ab exercises and a low back exercise. I took out one of the ab exercises, the side planks. Not that I don't think that is a good choice to strengthen the core. But Turbulence Training is marketed as a fat loss program, and side planks are not an optimal choice for that specific purpose. So I replaced those with an active 3-point crunch.

I also did away with the low back exercise. Again, strengthening the low back is important; however, as with the side planks, it isn't an optimal choice when your specific goal is fat loss. As I mentioned in a previous post, there is not any compound shoulder exercises in the intermediate routine, so I replaced the back extension with an Arnold Press, a twist on the standard overhead press.

I like the supersets in the program. They keep my workouts intense and short.

Unfortunately, I do find myself getting a little bored already. For the intermediate routine (which you do for 4 weeks, but since I'm an advanced trainer, he recommends I do it for 2 weeks, then move on to the advanced routine) there are 2 workouts that you alternate.

Although this is my first official week on the program, I did the workouts a couple times last week to get a feel for layout. I like a lot of variety in my exercise routine, so doing the same workouts for the last 2 weeks as left me a little bored and uninspired.

But I'll stick to it for another week and see how it goes.

I'm going to do hill sprint intervals in a little bit, then I'm done for the day. Tonight is free night so I'm going to enjoy some pizza and cake!!

Have a great weekend!
Carpe Diem, y'all!

PS - If you want to join me in my Turbulence Training, go here for more information on the program.

Looking for a good opinion or two...

Last night I did my first Turbulence Training workout. Overall, it was a good workout. The program is centered around supersets - two exercises back to back with no rest. The idea behind this is it keeps the intensity high, and the time to a minimum since you don't rest between the exercises.

I like supersets and use them in my own workouts. The supersets he picks seem somewhat arbitrary though. My first workout consisted of squats, incline chest press, stability ball leg curl, push-ups, an ab exercise, and a rear-delt exercise. I didn't understand the point of the rear delt exercise at all. That is a true isolation exercise, hitting only one head of the shoulder complex. Looking over both workouts in the intermediate program, there are not any compound exercises for the shoulders. So I substituted overhead presses for the rear delt exercise. (What can I say...I'm a trainer myself...y'all knew that would happen!)

I then did my cardio interval. Craig recommends you do your intervals on a stationary bike, partially for safety reasons. So I went to the gym to do this, but I got bored and did my interval on the treadmill instead.

If you move through the program as it is laid out, you can complete both strength and cardio in about 45 minutes. My kind of program!

I would like y'alls opinion. As I mentioned in my last post, all the 'extras' included with the basic program are a little much for me. He dedicates numerous pages to nutrition tips, such as eating several times per day, stay away from trans fats, etc. Although this is good information, it isn't why I bought his program. The program is marketed as a basic fat burning training program. I usually create my own routines, but was looking for some inspiration and so went with an already laid out, structured program. But I don't have time to sift through pages and pages of informatino. He also discusses travel tips, goal setting, and other related topics. Again, this is all good stuff, but if I was looking for a complete program that included nutrition and other aspects, I would have researched and purchased such a system.

I haven't even had time to look at all the 'bonus' files that came with the basic program. There are around 13 extra .pdf files...including women's workouts, ab workouts, etc.

So, here's my question to you...do you agree that one product can't be something to everyone and putting too much information in there can be overkill, or do you just be glad that you got all that for only $39.95 whether you ever have time to use it or not?

What do you think?

Back to the Basics

I've had several emails about the Turbulence Training program that I mentioned in my last two posts. Let me clear up a couple of things.

The Turbulence Training program was created by Craig Ballantyne, not me. In order to follow the program, you must pay for and download his ebook, Turbulence Training. It is in .pdf format. The program is $39.95. The ebook outlines a specific program for you to follow and has various levels: introductory, beginner, intermediate, advanced, and bonus workouts.

You do need basic equipment to follow the program, such as dumbbells, a bench, and a stability ball. I am not endorsing, nor recommending the program at this point.

I just started the program, and will post my thoughts and opinions (good, bad, and indifferent) on the program as I progress through it. This will give you more information so you can form your own opinion about the program.

If you do want to try the program with me, you have to purchase it. Click here to get more information.

I looked over the entire program today. I do find it a little overwhelming. I was really looking for something really straightforward...you know...back to the basics kind of stuff to get me back on track with my workouts. When you download this ebook, you are also provided with numerous "bonuses"...more ebooks with more workouts. Not that this isn't great, but it gets a little confusing which workouts you are supposed to do.

The basic ebook is quite long (128 pages). Fourteen pages are dedicated to FAQ's. That's a lot of questions and answers. But I guess too much information is better than too little.

In his introduction, Craig talks about how the program is centered around higher intensity...meaning you don't do as many reps. He picks 8 as his magic number of repetitions per set. He also talks in length about the importance of doing compound exercises for fat loss (which I agree with) - exercises that use multiple muscles - squats versus leg extensions. However, as I looked over the program, the only routine that follows these principles is the advanced routine.

Based on the instructions, since I'm an advanced trainer (have been training for numerous years), he recommends I start with 2 weeks on the intermediate program, and then move to the advanced program. Each workout has 6 exercises. In the intermediate routine, among the 12 exercises, he only assigns 8 reps to 6 of the exercises. And 6 of the exercises are not compound exercises.

My initial feeling is that he tries to make the program too much by trying to include something for everyone. The advanced routine is the 'original' Turbulence Training; I get the idea he added the other routines later. But in doing this, the program loses it's edge. For example, the introductory routine is for those who have been sedentary and may even have movement issues. I realize that Ballantyne is trying to cover all his bases so that anyone can use his program. But, as a consumer, I wouldn't expect a program called "Turbulence Training" to be easy or for beginners.

I am doing my first workout tonight and will let you know tomorrow how it goes. But I already know I will be substituting some exercises...

Carpe Diem y'all!

Donuts and Acrobats

I had a fantastic time in Nashville to celebrate my birthday! We played disc golf. The course wasn't well maintained so we ended up just jumping around to various baskets and creating our own course. We went on a riverboat and saw this amazing show called the Peking Acrobats. You have to admire someone with that much muscle and body control. We also went to the Grand Ole Opry which was a lot of fun.

When I'm on vacation, I allow myself to relax and just enjoy my time off. So I don't worry about workouts or my nutrition much. I ate a lot of wonderful food, but am definitely ready to get back in the gym and back to a solid nutrition plan.

Due to some unexpected scheduling conflicts, I won't be able to make it to the gym to do my first Turbulence Training workout.

But I will get in there tomorrow.

I did start tightening up my nutrition today. Today I am returning to a lower carbohydrate nutrition plan, making sure I eat 4-5 times per day, taking in healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates.

Looking forward to my workout tomorrow!

Don't forget...if you want to follow this program with me, click here to check it out!

A Little Inspiration Needed...

Lately, my workout routines have not been the best. They have been somewhat inconsistent, and when I do get around to them, they lack the intensity I've had in the past.

In an effort to jack up the intensity and overall feel of my workouts, I decided to add structure and inspiration to my routine by using an already structured, laid out program.

The program I chose is Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne. This is a fat burning routine that includes strength and interval training. One reason I chose this program is because Craig built it to be time-effective - workouts (strength and interval) shouldn't take more than 45 minutes.

When I'm in a rut, I usually sit down and design a new program for myself, but right now, I just don't have the time to do that. So I'm hoping that the Turbulence Training program will provide the structure and planning I need to stick with a routine.

On this blog, I will track my progress with this program. My goal is to let you know the good and bad (as I see it) aspects of the program. I will also go ahead and track my measurements since this is a fat loss program.

If you are interested in doing this routine with me, go here to check out the program!

I'm leaving today to go to Nashville for a long weekend...a belated birthday celebration.

So I will kick off the new program on Monday.

Carpe Diem!